Refrigerator receptacle



1941- c. w. BENSON REFRIGERATOR RECEPTAQLE Filed Aug. 4. 1939 R m E N wW 0 M w n 6 Q B W a 0 Y B 2 4 w Patented A... 1, 1941 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATOR RECEPTAO'LE Carl W. Benson, Altadena, Calif.Application August 4, 1939, Serial No. v288,355

4 Claims. (or. 312-189) V This invention relates to food containers forrefrigerators.

Immoral object of the invention isto provide a refrigerator having anovel food container therein. 1

A further object of the invention is to provide a refrigerator having areceptacle therein and wherein a closure for the receptacle is mountedon the refrigerator door.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a refrigeratorreceptacle which is located in the refrigerator and which has the wallsthereof exposed to the atmosphere in the refrigerator so that the entirereceptacle is chilled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a removable storagereceptacle for a refrigerator and a novel closure movably mounted on thedoor so that it will serve to close the receptacle in various positionsof the latter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel food storagereceptacle for refrigerators.

Other objects and the advantages of this invention will be apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the refrigerator showing my invention appliedthereto and with the door open:

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section taken on line.

2-2, Fig. 1 with the door closed;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation showing the refrigerator receptacleclosure with parts broken away;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing a portion of a refrigerator withthe door open and disclosing a modification of my invention;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on line 5--5, Fig. 4 with the doorclosed; and

Fig. 6 is a front view of a portion of the refrigerator showing afurther modification.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters I have shown myinvention as embodied in a refrigerator whichis indicated generally atIll.

As shown the refrigerator includes a body ll having a door l2 hingedlymounted thereon. The body I I includes a refrigerator unit l3 which maybe operated in any suitable manner and includes a storage compartment llas is customary with refrigerators of this character.

The compartment I4 is provided with a depending support member l5 andwith an inwardly extending support member. It at one end. Each of thesesupport members includes an attaching flange H which is perforated as atl8 to afford circulation and includes a groove I9.

' frigerator.

I 23 with the flanges 2| and 23 disposed in the grooves l9 of members l5and I6 and slidable therein so that the receptaclemay be supportedinthe-compartment M. The flanges 2i, 22 and 23 are provided with spacedapertures 24 to provide circulation entirely about the receptacle. 1 Theinner end of the receptacle 20 is provided with an end closure 25 whichhas a spacing member 26 thereon consisting of a metal strap havingapertures 21 to afford circulation. The strap 26 serves as a handle formoving the receptacle and also serves to limit the inward movement ofthe receptacle when it is slid along the grooves l5 and I6. I

The front of the receptacle 20 is open and is adapted to be closed by aclosure member 30 which preferably includes a pair of' metal platessecured together as by rivets 30'. The closure has an aperture 3| and atongue 32 extending into the aperture. The tongue 32 is adapted toengage behind tongues 33 which extend inwardly from the inner wall 34 ofthe door l2 of the re- The closure member 30 is provided with a.peripherally extending rubber seal 35 held between the plates and whichis of the same shape as the open end of the receptacle 20. The

closure 30 is so positioned in the door that when the latter is closed,the seal 35 engages the end of the receptacle to hermetically seal thereceptacle.

.The compartment I4 is provided with a plurality of shelf brackets 36which support the movable shelves 31. rearrange the interior of therefrigerator so that articles of different sizes and shapes may beaccommodated in the storage compartment and to provide for this thelower shelf 31 may be removed and the receptacle 20 withdrawn by slidingit along the grooves l5 and IS. The receptacle 20 may then be placed inthe dotted line position indicated at Ain Fig. 1 wherein the flanges 22and 23 engage the bottom of the compartment I4 and the flange 2| engagesthe end wall of, the compartment. These flanges, it will be remembered,are apertured so that circulation is provided entirely about thereceptacle 20.

To close the receptacle when in the position shown in dotted lines theinner wall of the door I2 is provided with a second set of tongues 33which receive the tongue 32 on the closure 30 At times it is desirableto movable receptacle 43 is disposed.

in securing access to the second receptacle and .further when therefrigerator door is closed,

there is no circulation from the interior of the receptacle 20, althoughfull circulation'is afforded aasaso'o support being arranged on the sidewall of the compartment, said supports being made of metal and havingapertures therethrough, a rectansaid supports, said receptacle flangeshaving aparound this receptacle so that the foods stored in thereceptacle will be properly preserved.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I show a modification of my invention wherein therefrigerator 40 has a hinged door 4| thereon. The refrigerator includesan inner compartment 42 in which a This receptacle includes a top,bottom, sides and an inner end 44. The front of the receptacle is openand has a gasket member or seal 45 thereabout. This gasket memberpreferably has a groove or slot 48 which slides over and engages thefree end of the receptacle to resiliently hold the gasket in place. Thegasket 45 is adapted to engage the door-4| when the latter is closed.

. The receptacle 43 preferably has feet 46' thereon which are spacedapart so that circulation is provided entirely around the receptacle.

In use the receptacle 43 is placed. in the refrigerator compartment inany desired location and the door when closed will serve as the closurefor the outer open end of the receptacle. It will be noted that thelength of the receptacle corresponds to the length of the inside of thecompartment so that when the door is closed, the rear wall 44 of thereceptacle is urged against the rear wall of the compartment and thus a;

seal is maintained at the front of the receptacle by the door.

In Fig. 6 I show a further modification of my invention wherein areceptacle 5. including sides 5|, top and a bottom 53 is fixedly mountedin the refrigerator compartment. The side wall 5| adjacent the cabinetwall and the top 52 are spaced from the adjoining wall of the cabinet toprovide for circulation entirely about the receptacle. A rubber sealingstrip 54 is mounted on the door 55 of the cabinet andis of rectan-.erator construction by means of which one storage compartment may behermetically sealed from another compartment in a refrigerator cabinetwhen the door is closed and wherein the -contents of this receptaclewill be accessible "whenever the door is open.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. In a refrigerator; acabinet having a door and having a food storage compartment-therein.

said cabinet having a pair of grooved supports therein, one of saidsupports. being arranged on the top wall of the compa f ment andthe-other of the receptacle to.

"end when said door is in ertures therethrough, said receptacle beingremovable from said supports and being adapted to'be positioned in thecabinet remote from the supports, saiddoor having spaced tonguesthereon, a closure member having a tongue engaging said flrst mentionedtongues, said closure member having a peripheral sealing member thereon,said closure and said sealing member being positioned to' engage theouter edge of said receptacle open end, and a second pair of tongues onsaid door, said closure tongue being adapted to engage said secondtongues to effect a. seal for said receptacle when the latter is in saidposition remote from said supports.

2. In a refrigerator, a cabinet having a door and having a food storagecompartmeht therein. said cabinet having a pair of spaced receptaclesupport means therein each adapted to support a receptacle, areceptacle, said receptacle including sides, top and bottom and havingan open outer end, said receptacle selectively engaging either of saidsupport means, a closure member, spaced closure engaging support meanson said door, said means on the door being so disposed that a closureengaged with either will be aligned with the open front of thereceptacle disposed upon one of the first mentioned support means.

3. In a refrigerator, a cabinet having a door and having a food storagecompartment therein,

said cabinet having supports therein, a recep tacle, said receptacleengaging said supports, said receptacle being removable from saidsupports and being adapted to be positioned in the cabinet remote fromthe supports, said door I having spaced tongues thereon, a closurememher having a tongue engaging said first mentioned tongues, saidclosure member having a ripheral sealing member thereon, said closureand said sealing member being positioned to ge the outer edge of saidreceptacle open) I compartment, a door for said cabinet, said re-,ceptacle including top, bottom and side walls and having an open frontend, a closure member for said receptacle removably secured to saiddoor, said closure member comprising a pair of spaced plates having aflexible resilient ringseal member disposed therebetween and extendingbeyond the edges of said piates, said door having spaced tonguesthereon; said closure member including a tongue engageable with saiddoor tongues, said sealmember being adapted to engage the outer edge ofsaid receptacle open closed position. CARL W. BENSON.

